KUCHING: A total of 70 University of Canterbury (UC) alumni gathered for an UC alumni dinner here on Thursday at the State Library, Petra Jaya, Kuching. Apart from the alumni gathering, 12 alumni donated a sum worth RM41,000 as fund for the construction of the new University of Canterbury Students Association (UCSA) building as the old building was heavily damaged in the 2011 earthquakes and demolished in 2016.
Professor Ian Wright, Deputy Vice Chancellor who gave his speech that night touched on the new degree programmes added and the appointment of the new vice chancellor for the university.
“We have also added four new degree programmes in 2018 and 2019 which are Bachelor of Product Design (3-year degree course) – combined creative design, science, engineering and business studies; Bachelor of Communications; Masters of Criminal Justice; Bachelor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation,” Professor Ian said.
According to him, Professor Cheryl de la Rey is currently the Vice Chancellor of University of Pretonia, South Africa and she will begin her appointment as the new Vice Chancellor of UC on mid-February 2019. UCSA President, Josh Proctor also gave an update with the new UCSA building which is due to open in 2019; it will include student welfare and advocacy spaces, an outdoor amphitheatre, as well as club, meeting, hospitality, office and event spaces for the students and staff of UC.
Among the guests present at the dinner were Tan Sri Datuk Amar (Dr) Hamid Bugo who graduated from University of Canterbury, Dato Alex Ting, the Organising Chairman and Josh Proctor, the UCSA President. The UC alumni dinner was held to build enduring relationships with the UC alumni and friends as it is vital to the future of UC as to keep in touch with both the alumni and the university.
